Health Matters

A non-invasive X-ray of the breast

The word alone can conjure up anxiety in many women, but a mammogram is simply a non-invasive X-ray of the breast. Knowing what to expect during a screening mammogram may ease your panic just a bit.

While each woman’s experience is different, most women report the test as uncomfortable, but not intolerable. In all, the process takes about 20 minutes.

It doesn’t really matter how your baby arrives

Whether your baby arrives vaginally or by C-section breastfeeding your newborn, or at least attempting to, as soon as possible after delivery can be the key to success. It's important to start early, be aware of common issues and learn some tips for success. 

Breastfeeding is much like a “dance” between mom and baby

Both have to do their part—and each has to practice to triumph. The first few days of new motherhood are a whirlwind, but keep in mind that patience and repetition can help. If breastfeeding is your goal, the following are very important first steps to take just after delivery.

Over Two Million Americans Are Diagnosed Each Year

Are You a Weekend Warrior?

Adults who spend their time off playing on soccer leagues, hitting the tennis courts or jogging in fun runs often find that they’re competing with their bodies as well as the opposing team.

Doctors even have a name for these sometime athletes: weekend warriors. It’s a reference to the two-day intense span that most adults devote to their game, hobby or sport, followed by several days of inactivity (and soreness) during the week.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irregular bowel habits, alternating diarrhea and/or constipation, and cramping or bloating, in conjunction with abdominal discomfort or pain--they're the hallmark signs of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). If you are regularly finding yourself, and your bathroom, occupied with these life-altering symptoms, relief may be in sight. 

Diligent Skin Examinations are Important

As the summer months heat up, so does your risk for too much sun exposure−a major cause of skin cancer. As with other cancers, the earlier and less invasive the skin cancer is when detected, the easier it is to treat and cure. But no matter what the time of year, diligent skin examinations are important, including an annual one by a physician.

Learn What Any Hospital Should Do

Have you ever heard of “door-to-balloon time?” It’s that critical amount of time that it takes for a heart attack patient to get from an initial assessment into the Emergency Room, and it should be under 90 minutes. During this time, an accredited Chest Pain Center should begin an intricate set of steps to guide treatment once they receive their patient.

It can stink up your social life. But fecal incontinence is often curable.

Fecal, or bowel, incontinence is the inability to control gas, liquid stool, or even, in severe cases, solid stool. It can be an embarrassing condition. So much so that many people with minor cases often choose not to discuss related concerns with their physician, incorrectly assuming that fecal incontinence is simply a normal part of old age. But it isn’t.

Spring has sprung and so have your sneezes

Allergies can wreak havoc on your system, causing symptoms from watery or itchy eyes to coughing, congestion and possibly even a rash. While they've become synonymous with spring, allergies can actually be seasonal or year-round, depending on your trigger. The first step to controlling your bothersome symptoms is figuring out what you're allergic to.

You can narrow it down by taking note of your symptoms and their patterns. Then you can work to avoid the allergen. Below are tips to reduce both seasonal and year-round environmental allergens, including dust mites, mold, animal dander and pollens.